Brother and SIL moving to Tulsa-need recommendations

[xmas74]

My SIL has been accepted for a masters program w/ a nice stipend and my brother will be studying at a local community college (at least that's what I think he said).

Anyway, they will be moving there probably in Aug and they need some recommendations. They want to know about decent grocers in town, if there are "real" butchers (and not prepackaged meat like chain stores do), they want to know about farmer's markets, good coffee shops, ethnic stores and restaurants,

They'd like recommendations on things that families can do together that don't involve church services (my brother is an atheist so that's not an option.). They have an 11 year old and an 8 year old at home w/ them. They also want to know if anyone would recommend public transportation, if there are decent areas to bike in, etc.

Also, any kind of arts and such. They want to know where the locally owned bookstores are, if there are any theaters that show independent movies, etc. Anything anyone can recommend would be great.

My brother is counting on ya'll to change his mind about your state. He hated it when he was stationed a few years back in Lawton and isn't too sure about it now. I told him that I'd ask a group of progressives for their opinions on where to go and what to do. Anything ya'll can think of that a progressive couple in their late 20's/early 30's w/ two children would like would be appreciated.

[SoonerShankle]

1. it's been over 10 years...

since I lived in Tulsa, but to try to help out:

Good art museums:
Gilcrease Museum
Philbrook Museum

I used to live across the street from LaFortune Park. It is really nice. It has a 5k walking track around it. The River Parks also have biking, walking/running tracks alongside the Arkansas River.

Tulsa also has its own zoo. At Christmas they have Zoolightful in which the entire zoo is decorated with Christmas lights. It's a lot of fun to watch the polar bear swim in his pool while surrounded by lights...

Sporting events:
Tulsa Oilers hockey
Tulsa Roughnecks soccer
Tulsa Drillers baseball (AA team)
Tulsa University sports (football, football, football...)

There are many malls (to name a few):
Woodland Hills
Promenade
Utica Square
Eastland

Highways/Interstates form a circle around the city with an X in the middle. You can get most places in Tulsa via highway in little time.

Tulsa has grown tremendously since I lived there. Mostly toward the southern suburbs. It is also a "church" town. I grew up in central Oklahoma and was surprised by the level of the charismatic christian movement in the community. As long as your brother understands that he'll probably be okay.

I wish him much luck there.

[xmas74]

2. I will pass that on to him.

He'll like this so far.

[canaar]

5. Eastland Mall is no longer a mall.

Some group has purchased it to use the space for some type of community development project(s).

[Joey Liberal]

3. They can still change their minds! n/t

[xmas74]

9. Not with the deal that Tulsa U offered her.

Tuition, books and fees paid, housing paid and a monthly stipend.

No way she'll give that up.

[canaar]

4. My Two Cents

I grew up in Tulsa, graduated High School there and parents continue to live there. Although a lot of the buildings were razed in the early 60s, Tulsa's growth as the Oil Capitol of the world was in the roaring 20s. Think J. Paul Getty, Skelly, Waite Phillips (Phillips 66). Anyhow, much of the building of that era was in the high Art Deco style. Many fine examples remain and have been restored.

Cains Ballroom - Second home to Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. Cains is still a going concern with most popular musicians (aside from the arena acts), scheduling a date at Cains. Asleep at the Wheel can be caught pretty regularly at Cains (in the Bob Wills tradition).

Home to a pretty good local theater tradition.

Tulsa Symphony with a full season and the supported chamber groups.

Tulsa Opera (traveling Met productions - used to be four full operas per season. I caught Beverly Sills in Lucia di Lammermoor there in 1970 and James McCracken in Othello in 1972 I think).

Tulsa Boy Choir and Tulsa Boy Singers is a world class boy choir.

A fine selection of independent new and used book stores used to be found both downtown and in the University district. One of the nation's finest independent bookstores was run for years by Lewis Meyer - now deceased.

1957 Reader's Digest selected as America's most beautiful city. Has lost a great deal of that to sprawl.

Water sports abound - fishing, boating, skiing. Thanks to Robert S. Kerr, Northeastern Oklahoma is the land of large reservoirs in very scenic (Ozark foothills) surroundings.

Tahlequah, capitol of the Cherokee Nation is an hour drive away. Tsa-La-Gi traditional museum village with Trail of Tears drama and summer stock theater.

Much horse culture. A great state fair.

It is one of America's better kept secrets. Leaves Oklahoma City at the starting gate.

[SoonerShankle]

6. I do have to agree that...

Tulsa is a far more cultured city. I really enjoyed attending the speakers series in downtown (I saw Robert F. Kennedy Jr. there once to talk about the environment, and a travelers series on England). I also got lucky enough to see Victor Borge once too. Lots of ballet, music, art...

[xmas74]

10. Thank you!

Writing this all down.

[xmas74]

13. I don't know if I thanked you

but this will help them quite a bit.

[darkofthemoon]

7. Moving to T-Town?

First, Tulsa has some excellent ethnic restaurants -- primarily Lebanese and Vietnamese. Ri Le's on the far southside has a national reputation and is always excellent. Reasonable prices, too. Halim and Mimi's, on 11th street, is a Lebanese deli well-known to Tulsa University students and faculty. Also, LaRoma's (60th and Sheridan) serves a pizza that will ruin you for the chains. Also offers a good selection of Lebanese entries. All three restaurants are family owned/operated and give excellent personal service.

The Circle Theater (2nd and Lewis) is a non-commercial film venue that is the 'independant' spot for Tulsa. The neighborhood is a bit dicey, though, and you shouldn't go there alone.

Anyone interested in books MUST go to Steve's (27th and Harvard). It's been open since the 50's and still operates an honest-to-God soda fountain. It doesn't have all the amenities of B&N, and deals primarily in paperbacks, but it is worth weekly visits.

As far as Tulsa versus Lawton goes, all I can say is that Jim Inhofe got his start in Tulsa (I've been voting against him since the 70's). He will almost certaily be re-elected next year. That said, Tulsa is large enough to support some diversity in political and cultural issues, and does have an active progressive community. The local newspaper (the World) is actually fairly reasonable in some of it's editorial positions, and it is regularly accused of being the Spawn of Satan (or some such) in the Letters to the Editor. I regard that as a recommendation.

In short, Tulsa is the only place in Oklahoma I'd want to live in.

[canaar]

8. For Restaurants

Last time I was in town, I noted that Jamil's steak house (USDA Prime grilled perfectly with all the Lebanese trimmings - cabbage roll, thebouli, etc.) is still a going concern. Don't let the exterior fool you. If it is fine food you want, then it is fine food you get at Jamil's.

St. Michael's Alley bears mention. Longest running coffee house in Tulsa with Chet Atkins favorite guitarist Tommy Crook appearing regularly - no cover.

NE Oklahoma has a fine music tradition. Chet Baker from Yale, OK (birthplace of Jim Thorpe). Elvin Bishop. Hip Icon - Leon Russell from Tulsa. Carl Radle, Eric Clapton's bassist. Elvin Bishop.

Will Rogers Memorial and museum in Claremore. Next exit north on I 44 (after Catoosa).

A great web site with everything TV Tulsa, music Tulsa, movie Tulsa, and much much more at Tulsa TV Memories, an online boomer scrapbook of popular Tulsa culture including the arcane (Frankoma Pottery, Tulsa Tiki Culture, The May Rooms - definitely not a family outing to the May Rooms unless introducing your son to a bygone rite of passage qualifies). I would include the link but am unsure about site rules. A Google search will turn it up easily. A Tour de Force.

[xmas74]

12. Will pass it on.

He'll be quite excited about the steak house.

[xmas74]

11. Thank you!

Wrote it all down for him.

They're there right now, looking at apartments.